"We know what Spain have done. They have reigned in Europe and the world. I'm happy with what we did, even if we could have been more precise. But what is good is that we kept that desire to do things well," said the 1998 World Cup winner, who made just a single change to the side that lost to Germany in bringing in Newcastle United's Moussa Sissoko.

"Spain made us suffer at the end, but we dug in and put in the effort. It's a good result for our return to action."

Deschamps' men will now turn their attentions to Sunday's game in Serbia as they embark on two years of friendlies in the run-up to Euro 2016, which France will stage.

However, Thursday's encounter was more about giving the players who had gone to Brazil, and the near capacity 75,000-strong crowd at the Stade de France, the opportunity to take a nostalgic look back at events in South America.

"It's certain that after the World Cup we wanted to get back together. We were really impatient to do that, because we had such a super experience in Brazil, both in human and sporting terms," Remy, 27, who has now struck six times in 28 appearances for his country, told TF1.

"We know that we're already qualified, but it's always better when you win. The squad continues to get on well together, and I hope that will last up to the Euros."